Cedar and Cypress

March 12

Readings – HOS 14:2-10; MK 12:28-34

I am increasingly aware of how often trees show up in the scriptures – particularly in the Hebrew scriptures.  In the reading from Hosea, we hear about the Lebanon cedar and the cypress trees as metaphors for faithfulness.

The Lebanon cedar was known as the “king of trees” because it had such strong roots and could grow as tall as a 120 feet high (that’s about the height of the Liberty Pole in Rochester).  It could grow in various conditions and its name literally means “firm.”

The cypress is another fragrant evergreen tree known for it’s durability and ability to survive.  Its wood was used for a variety of purposes including musical instruments and shipbuilding.

These durable, adaptable trees are given as models of our faith life – in contrast to the idols that people worshipped in the first reading.

Let’s just stay with that idea for a minute.  Especially as we read the passage from the gospel where Jesus is asked what the most important scripture passage was.  He responds with the famous Jewish shema – “Hear, O Israel!  The Lord our God is Lord alone! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.”  Jesus goes on to add, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  These two verses sum up the law and the prophets for him.

If we’re clear on what Jesus instructed, we are much less likely to get distracted by “idols” all around us.  When I was younger, I used to hear the stories of idols and wondered how people would “worship” some kind of inanimate object and think that this thing had some form of power. Now that I am older, I understand it quite differently.  Scripture scholar Walter Brueggemann says that idolatry is giving something “ultimate” importance which is only “penultimately” important.  These are big words to say that we put things that belong further down on the list at the TOP of the list.

When we put first things first, we become like the cedar and cypress trees – strong, adaptable, firm, fragrant and useful.

Lent is a time to get our priorities back in the order they belong in.  Sometimes this can be confusing for sure, but we return to the disciplines of prayer, fasting and almsgiving to help us.

Next time you look at a tree, let it be your faith guide.